JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — JIA is moving ahead on plans for new flights and more international services. The city is now reviewing a permit for a $300 million project to bring a new wing, called “Concourse B,” to the airport.

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Action News Jax told you back in September it’s a project that’s now been delayed about a year. It was supposed to break ground in August, but has since been pushed back to sometime next year.

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But some travelers at JIA don’t think it needs to happen at all.

“It’s our local city, so it’s not like I’d want a huge airport where I’d have to get there two hours early,” says Shannon Rivera, a Jacksonville local who visits JIA a few times a year, “it’s always nice just to be able to get here an hour early.”

Rivera is worried more flights will mean more traffic, bringing a “big city airport” feel to what she believes is a smaller scale airport. Others, like Alicia Jones, who also lives in Jacksonville, is nervous about knowing where to go once a new concourse is built.

“I like how I can stroll in here, one way in and one way out, and I know exactly where [people arriving] are coming from,” Jones says.

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JIA has a two-part plan to expand. Concourse B would add six gates and two new security lines to the airport, which is expected to be completed by 2026. That would be right after another project to build a six-story parking garage with 2,000 spots, which Action News Jax told you about in July.

“More gates means more airlines means more options for travelers, which I think is good for us,” says Eric Williamson, who comes through JIA a few times a week.

In a growing city, Williamson says a bigger airport is better.

“It’s true, it might mean more people moving here, but that’s going to happen anyway, with or without a larger airport,” Williamson says.

But with thousands flying through JIA each day, locals hope more gates won’t give them less of a reason to use the airport.

“Jacksonville is growing, so it probably needs to be bigger, anyway. But, just like any city, you don’t want it to get bigger,” Rivera says.

JIA turned in the permit for Concourse B right before Christmas. It’s now under review with the city, which is expected to reopen offices for regular business tomorrow.

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Action News Jax reached out to JIA for an update on the construction of Concourse B and possible changes on when it’s expected to be ready, but we’re still waiting to hear back.

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